Hernando Beach fishing report

The inshore bite has been tough at times with these fronts out of the north. Just when the water temperature warms and the bite gets good it seems another system comes through and puts a chill on the water. We have had a non stop bite on blue fish and jacks when the water is cold. On my most recent trip we caught over 50 blues near some rockpiles in about ten feet of water. These fish will hit anything thrown at them and are a lot of fun for my clients to catch. The Aripeka area is producing both redfish and black drum near shore and in the creeks. we are getting the best results in the deeper holes near the mangroves and near the areas fed by springs where the water is warmer. Fishing with cut bait or using lures worked very slow seems to work best. We have had a bit of a warming period and the water temperature is slowly getting to the mid 60's. If this weather holds the fishing will heat up. The bite seems to be best in the afternoon when there is a good tide. I prefer to fish the end of a incoming tide to the first half of a outgoing when I am in the backcountry. When I fish the flats I really don't have a preference as long as the water is moving. Even though mother nature makes it challenging at times it is important to remember to be prepared to try a variety of tatics to catch fish. Be patient and utilize all options given to you. Time and effort is usually rewarded. Remember-grouper,trout,and snook are closed. Tight lines! Capt. Keith Tomlinson Bulldog Fishin Charters www.bulldogfishin.com (352)238-3581